Improved thill-coupling



BLANE. Th'iH Coupling.

No. 87,501. Y :Patented Mam]A 2, 1869.

In venan cfm,

NAAM- lattut l @da y Letters Patent No.: 87,501, dated Mwrch 2, 1869.

IMPROVED THI'LL-COUPLING.

The Schedule referred to in these Leiters Patentand making part of the same.

'To all whom 'it may concern:

.Be it known that I, E. LANE, of Philadelphia Pennsylvia, have invented an Improvement in Carriage# Couplings; and I do' hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention consists of a device, fully described hereafter, for the purpose of preventing the rattlingr of the shafts of thecarriage, by exerting a pressure against their rear ends, which pressure, however, can be readily withdrawn when it is necessary to connect the'said shafts to or disconnect them from the coupling-blocks.

-In order to enable others skilled in the art to make and apply my invention, Iwill now proceed to describe itsconstruction and operation, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of this speciiication, and in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of my improved carriage-coupling, and

Figure 2, a transverse vsection of the same, on the line 1 2, lig. l'.

The com )ling-block A, with its arms a and d', is similar to those in common use, and is secured to or forms a parto'f the clip B, which is secured to the axle in the usualmanner.

lhe metal bar C, at the rear end of the shaft, is coupled to the block Aby a piu, D, which passes through it, and through openings in the outer ends of the arms a and a.

A metal bar, F, which aids in securing the clips B to the axle, projects forward from the latter, and carries a thumb-screw, H, the rounded end of which bears 'against the under side'o'f a spring-plate, I, the rear end of the latter intervening between the bar F and the axle, and 'is thus secured in its place.l p

The plate I has a tendency to spring back from the rounded end of the shaft O, but can be forced toward the same by the thumb-screwl, so as to cause an intervening leather Washer', J', to bear .against the said shaft.

It will be seen, on referring to iig. 2, that this washer, is effectually prevented from slipping out from its place as it is retained laterally by the arms a and a.' of the coupling-block, and vertically by the end ofthe shaft and the spring-platevl, the latter being of sufficient width to bear against the greater part of the surface of the washer.

In most of the devices employed to prevent the rattling of .carriage-couplings, a constant pressure is exerted against the ends of the shafts, so as to render the coupling and uneoupling of the same a matter of more or less difficulty.

This objection I entirely overcome by tle use of the I plate l, which, when the thumb-screw H is turned down, springs back, and releases the end of the shaft from pressure, and enables the pinD to be easily withdrawn, and the shaft to be disconnected.

, The shaft can also be' readily connected to the carriage, when the plates I are thus permitted to spring back, all that is necessary heilig to adjust the rear end of each shaft to a proper position between the arms of its coupling-block, and then to insert the piu D.

It will be readily understood that when the shafts are thus connected, and the thumb-screws and springplates properly operated, the washers J can be caused to bear against the said shafts with sufficient pressure to prevent all disagreeable rattling of thecouplings.

An important advantage of my invention is, that it can be readily applied to the carriage-couplings in com` Y mon use; another advantage being that the lea; washer is held firmly against the end of the shaft, a. prevented from slipping or working out from its place.

It should be undrstood that my invention is as applicable to carriages provided with a single pole asto those in which shafts are employed.

I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patentv The combination of thc'coupling A with vits arms a and a', packing-strip J, spring-plate I, and plate F, carrying a thumb-screw, H', the Whole being arranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification,v in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' E. LANE. Witnesses:

4 J ons WHITE,

HARRY SMI'TH. 

